Chapter 369: What Sin Have I Committed?

“Aaaaaaaaaah…!”

A scream echoed through the sky above the evil aura-filled plain, startling the evil beings below. They raised their heads, looking up at the sky and roaring.

In the air, Shien was flying, carrying Maeve, a look of despair on his face.

Maeve clung to Shien like an octopus, her limbs wrapped tightly around him, screaming incessantly.

Shien felt like his eardrums were being assaulted by demonic sounds, his head spinning, almost ascending to heaven on the spot.

“Hey, can you stop screaming?” Shien pleaded with the cat-girl, who was unleashing the sonic attack. “If you keep screaming like this, I’ll die. Please, spare my life!”

“B-b-but…!” Maeve clung tightly to Shien, her voice at least ten times louder than usual, causing her to cry out as well, “Why do we have to fly!?”

“Didn’t I already explain it to you?” Shien looked like he was about to faint, staggering slightly. “There are so many evil beings on the ground. If we walk, who knows how many times we’ll be attacked. It’s better to just fly. It’s faster too, right?”

Therefore, after Maeve pointed out the direction, Shien grabbed the cat-girl and took to the sky.

Who knew that once they were airborne, Maeve not only clung to him but also unleashed her ear-piercing screams, almost causing Shien to crash.

As the strategist of the beastmen priest group, Maeve naturally understood how correct Shien’s actions were.

However…

“I… I’m afraid of heights!”

Maeve cried.

Hearing Maeve’s words, Shien wanted to cry even more.

“You’re afraid of heights?” Shien wanted to bang his head against a rock, saying in exasperation, “Aren’t you a cat? Cats are afraid of heights?”

As expected of another world, he could even encounter a cat with a fear of heights. It was truly an eye-opening experience.

Actually, Maeve wasn’t afraid of heights. It was just because of her personality, she felt more secure with her feet on the ground. Sometimes, she was fine with jumping a few times in the air with her own strength, but this feeling of completely leaving the ground, unable to control her own body, and entrusting everything to someone else, made Maeve feel very insecure.

That was why Maeve was afraid of heights, not because of acrophobia.

At least, that’s what she believed.

Now, the cat-girl’s face was pale, and her limbs were wrapped around Shien so tightly that he was worried his bones would crack.

If it weren’t for the fact that this girl was also giving Shien some benefits while using her sonic attack and death hug, letting him feel the softness and elasticity of her body, Shien would have thrown her back to the ground.

“Anyway, stop screaming. If you’re really scared, just close your eyes!”

For the sake of his own life, Shien no longer cared about taking advantage of the situation and could only say these words resentfully.

“B-b-but… I still have to guide you!”

Maeve said tearfully, her eyes still glancing at the ground uncontrollably, her face turning even paler.

“Just point me in the direction. I’ll find it myself.”

Shien said without hesitation.

“Th-then… fly that way!”

Maeve pointed in a direction with a trembling hand, then quickly retracted it and clung to Shien again.

This time, she directly wrapped her arms around Shien’s neck, almost choking him.

Shien could only increase his speed and fly towards the temple.

“Aaaaaaaaaah…!”

Maeve, with her eyes closed, felt the sudden increase in speed and screamed again.

“Stop screaming!”

Shien shouted with a grimace.

“Aaaaaaaaaah…!”

Maeve couldn’t hear anything, just kept screaming.

“What… what sin have I committed?”

Shien’s expression turned into despair once again.

With an earth-shattering scream, Shien flew towards the temple at high speed, transforming into a stream of light.

…

At this moment, in the pitch-black temple on the plain, black fog-like evil aura was surging outwards.

At the temple gate, along with the surging evil aura, evil beings rushed out.

Some were killing each other while roaring, while others seemed to be attracted by something and scattered around, making the once heavily guarded temple look like a castle under attack, a scene of chaos and disorder. It was somewhat spectacular. ṛÅ𝐍ŐᛒΕⱾ

Shien arrived above the temple with Maeve.

“We’re finally here.”

A relieved expression appeared on Shien’s face.

Maeve also seemed to be tired of screaming. She looked at the chaotic scene below with a pale face, her voice still trembling.

“A-are we going down?”

Maeve looked like she wanted to go down but was also afraid.

After all, there were so many evil beings on the ground. If they went down, they would definitely be attacked fiercely.

But Shien only wanted to say that he was under an even fiercer and more fatal attack in mid-air.

Whether it was [Physical Resistance], [Magic Resistance], or [Abnormal Status Resistance], none of them were effective against this sonic attack, making Shien wonder if he would die in the sky.

“We’re going down!”

Shien made this decision without hesitation.

As for the evil beings on the ground, weren’t they easy to deal with?

“[Bestow: Fire].”

Shien once again turned the ground into purgatory, unleashing endless flames and heat.

The flames surged around the temple, as if surrounding it, and continued to spread outwards.

“Gaaaah…!”

“Uwaaaah…!”

The ancient evil beings wailed in the flames, then were burned to ashes, disappearing into the sea of fire.

A clear area was created around the temple, the chaotic scene replaced by a scene of raging flames.

Shien landed in front of the temple gate with Maeve.

“F-finally down…”

Maeve immediately jumped off Shien, but then collapsed on the ground, her pale face showing relief.

Shien’s face also showed relief, no less than Maeve’s.

“Yeah, we finally survived.”

Shien still felt lingering fear.

If there was a chance in the future, Shien wanted to ask those guys who thought it was romantic to take girls on Ferris wheels, hot air balloons, or bungee jumping, was it really romantic?

Weren’t their girlfriends scared? Or were they inflatable dolls that couldn’t scream?

No, perhaps those guys… no, those heroes had eardrums made of titanium and weren’t afraid of banshees’ screams.

“Fortunately, Lasha and the others aren’t ordinary girls…”

Otherwise, on the way to the Stalim Duchy on Yulin’s back, his eardrums might have already been destroyed.

The two of them rested for a while, recovering some of their strength.

Maeve’s cat ears twitched, and she sniffed the air, then spoke with a mixture of joy and worry.

“I smell Saintess Elise!”

Looking at Maeve, Shien really wanted to tell her that her words were not appropriate.

If he didn’t know that beastmen were born with sharp senses and it was normal for them to smell others, Shien would suspect that this girl was a pervert.

But Maeve’s words did make Shien a bit concerned.

“You smell her?” Shien looked at Maeve. “Don’t tell me she really just barged in?”

“…It’s possible.” Maeve said worriedly. “Saintess Elise’s scent extends into the temple. She might have really gone in.”

No wonder this girl had mixed feelings.

The joy was from finally finding Elise.

The worry was that Elise seemed to have entered the most dangerous place alone and might have already met with misfortune.

“That scaredy-cat, when did she become so brave?”

Shien also felt a headache coming on.

He didn’t expect that timid girl, who wanted to cling to Lasha and tremble all day long, would dare to enter the temple alone. This truly surprised Shien.

But precisely because it was surprising, it indicated that the situation was bad.

Otherwise, with Elise’s timid nature, she would never enter the temple alone.

Something bad must have happened, forcing Elise to muster her courage and go in.

Thinking of this, Shien had an idea.

“I’m going in.” Shien turned to Maeve and asked, “What are you going to do?”

Maeve didn’t hesitate at all.

“Of course, I’m going in with you.”

Maeve said without hesitation.

“Is that a good idea?” Shien reminded her, “Inside the temple, not only is the Old Demon Faction blocking the way, but the evil aura is also much denser than outside. If you suddenly go crazy during the fight with the Old Demon Faction and attack Elise, whom you’re supposed to protect, then she’ll really be done for.”

“This…” Maeve was speechless.

“Also, your companions should still be in this evil aura, right?” Shien reminded her. “They might have already been corrupted by the evil aura and gone mad, or attacked by the evil beings, waiting for your rescue. Aren’t you going to look for them?”

Shien’s words made Maeve fall silent. After struggling for a while, she showed a resolute expression.

“Our mission as beastmen priests is to protect the Saintess. For this purpose, any sacrifice is a small price to pay.” Maeve said solemnly. “If they knew that I didn’t try to save Saintess Elise when she was in danger, but instead went to look for them, they would definitely hate me.”

In other words, Maeve still wanted to go in with him.

“Also, I can’t let you enter the temple alone.” Maeve looked at Shien seriously. “Don’t forget, you were the one who almost broke the seal last time. I have to keep an eye on you.”

Maeve didn’t trust Shien at all.

Or rather, if the situation wasn’t so dire, Maeve would want to attack Shien.

To the beastmen priests, Shien was an enemy, not a friend. This was undeniable.

“Is that so?” Shien said nonchalantly. “Suit yourself.”

Saying so, Shien stepped into the temple.

Maeve immediately followed.